Indicator for vehicles.



L. M. T INGLEY. INDICATOR FOB VEHICLES. APPLIOATIOI rlLnn' r213. 25, 1909.

Patented Oct. 25,- 1910.

/Q INVENTOR LZOydM Tinyl 'BY M ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LLOYD M. TINGLEY, 0E PAWTUCKET, RHODE ISLAND, AssIGNoE, BY DIRECT AND MEsNE ASSIGNMENTS, 0F ONE-THIRD T0 SAMUEL GEE, or PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, AND ONE-THIRD TO BYEoN H. NIxoN, or SUMMIT. RHODE ISLAND.

INDICATOR FOB VEHICLES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 25, 1910.

Application filed February 25, 1909. Serial No. 479,921. I

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, LLoYn M. TINGLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of 'Pawtucket, in the county of Prove dence and State of Rhode Island, have invented certain new and useful Im rovements in Indicators for Vehicles, of which the folsuch as automobiles, and the like, said lamp being rovided with transparent 01' translucent p ates .on which the numbers are displayed, the lantern being adapted to be illuminated from its interior'whereby said plates shall be as readily readable by night as by; day. These plates may be also colored to indicate theState in which the num her is registered sot-hat the owner of the vehicle may be quickly identified in case of accident or violation of thelocal laws.

A further object of the invention is to form the lantern as small and compact as possible, and to locate the light at one end of the casing. or holder and provide suitable reflectin means for throwin said light into said holder andto provide ecient means in the holder, back of the number plate, for reflecting the light through the plate.

A further object is to so construct the lantern that it shall be capable of being readily attached to any portion of an automobile and easily adjusted to suit conditions under appended claim.

which it ma be operated. The casing is also rovide with means whereby an extra supp y of plates may be stored, which feature is also illustrated in my said Patent No. 904,101. This lanternis also provided with means for showing a powerful red light through a lens asa danger signal at night.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certaln novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the Figure erspective view-of my improved lantern il ustratmg the general construction In the accompanying drawings:

at 27 at its to of the same. Fig. 2- is a front view of the lantern showing the number plate removed and the bottom of the lantern, which serves as the oil tank, in section. section looking down, on line of Fig. 2, also showing the indicating plate in position in section. Fig, 4 is a section on line 4 of Fig. Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 3. Fig.- 6 is a rear view of the lantern showing the fixtures by which the same may be attached to a vehicle.

Fig. 3 is a Referring 'to the drawings, 1 represents the casing in which the number plates are retained. This casing is preferably made of thin sheet metal and as neat, small and compact as possible. The length of the casing is a little more than the length of the display number plate, and its height sufiicientto receive the display number plate, and also to provide an oil tank 10 in the lower portion thereof. The thickness or width of the casing is sufiicient to -rcceive and retain the display number plate, 24, which is in position before the opening, and also a limited number, say two or three extra plates 25, .cont-aining'the registered number of different States which maybe changed or placed in position upon 'crossin the line of the State about to be entere The thickness or width of this casing is also sufficient to receive a reflecting partition plate 16 which extends on an angle from one end of-the casing to the other, said reflector plate bein formed of a series of vertically arrange corrugations or ribs 26-26 which are adapted to receive and reflect the li ht through the number plate. One end of this casing is provided with a swinging door 2 for manipulating the plates, said door being hinged to one ed e 3 of the casing and rovided with a sh ing lock pin 4 adapt to enter an ear 5 in the door to lock the same in a closed position see Fig. 1. The opposite end of this casing is provided with an enlarged portion 6 to serve as a lamp or illumi nating medium and receive an-oll burner 7 which rests on a partition 8, the wick 9 of which extends down into the oil tank 10, below. A gas burner 11 is also located in this portion of the lantern which is vented and provided with a pipe connection 12 ceding out through the rear thereof. An electric lamp may also be con-' nected in place of this gas burner, if desired, and the wires led out through the same tube 12, or in any other convenient way. This lamp portion is provided with a large reflector plate 13 fixed on the side of the lamp opposite the casing for the purpose of throwing the light sharply into said casing to illuminate the display plate. A transparent plate 14, such as glass, mica, or the ike, is placed between the light and the easing containing the plates so as to shut olf any draft of air from the li ht which might enter through the casing w an the same is opened.

A false bottom or plate 18 is fixed on an incline in the oil tank 10 so as to insure lamp wick is located.

An essential feature of this construction is that a red transparent lens 15 is set into the lamp portion 6 directly in front of the light so that when the lamp is lighted, in

the fuel all running to thatend where the addition to illuminating the number plate,

a powerful danger signal will also be displayed.

An essential feature of this invention is the arrangement and construction of the reflector plate 16 which extends on an angle from one end of this casing to the other, said plate bein formed of a series of vertically arrange corrugations or ribs 26 the projecting edge of each step being set at the proper angle to receive and reflectthe light as it enters from one end of the casing, thereby'formin a series of reflectors which receive the light from the side and throw it directly ahead brightly illuminating the number plate.

Sockets 17'17 are provided on the back of the casing for the reception of suitable brackets 19 to retain the lantern on the vehicle. The front plate is held in'pos'ition by spring fin ers 2020 a ainst the opening where it is isplayed, an the extra plates are also retained by similar sprin fingers 21 in the rear of the lantern, t e lower edges of the plates restin in ooves 22 and 23, which grooves have ev ed or inclined faces for the purpose of firmly retaining the plates in position.

This device is extremely neat and compact in appearance and is very eflicient in its 0 eration, and by its use the interchangeab e number plates, which conform strictly to the requirements of the local State laws, are large and legible and easily read by day. By the attachment of a lamp to the plate carrying casing the number may also be brightly illuminated from within by night, and the same light also serves to show a powerful red or danger indicating signal.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let-- ters Patent, is:

A lantern of the character described comprising .an elongated casing provided with an opening in the front wall thereof, a door pivoted to one end of said casing, the other end of said casing bein provided with an enlargement formlng a urner chamber, an indicating plate for closin said 0 ening, means engaging the back 0 said-in icating plate to hold the same in position, a reflector arranged diagonally across said elongated casing and provided with a plurality of. 

